What’s better than Power over Ethernet? More Power over Ethernet (PoE), of course – and that is exactly what PoE++ is delivering. PoE++ expands upon the traditional PoE benefits of delivering data and power over a single Ethernet cable, it increases power capabilities and extends PoE’s reach into new industries and applications. Here, we’ll tell you exactly what gives PoE++ those two extras plus signs.

First, let’s look at a numbers comparison. The first ratified PoE standard 802.3af supports 15.44 watts of power, but power dissipation usually lowers that number to a reliable 12.95 watts. Then PoE+ was introduced and bolstered power to 30.8 watts with the 802.3at standard, though power dissipation usually takes its toll and lowers power to 25.5 watts. PoE++ (the 802.3bt standard) will be capable of supplying more than 3 times the power of PoE+ with up to 100 watts (Type 4) of DC power and the ability to support 10 Gbps connections.

Traditionally, PoE has been used in networking applications. With PoE++, the technology’s reach is extended to include healthcare, point of sale, financial and surveillance industry applications. PoE++ utilizes all four twisted pairs of an Ethernet cable for optimal power transmission. It consists of Mode A and Mode B, and combines them to reach higher voltage levels. Mode A is also referred to as Type A, Type 3 or 4-pair PoE. It is specified for 60W, 50W reliable, and is able to support technology such as access controls, point of sale readers, IP cameras and nurse call devices. Mode B is also known as Type B, Type 4 or higher-power PoE. It is designed for 100 watts of power, 80 watts after power dissipation, and increases the capabilities to also include support of videoconferencing systems, laptops, desktops and televisions.

PoE++ is slated to bring more power, more conveniently to more devices than ever before. With all of the speed, convenience and capabilities that this new technology offers, it’s no wonder that PoE++ earned those extra plus marks.

Not sure of the difference between USB 3.1 Gen 1 (aka SuperSpeed USB) and USB 3.1. Gen 2 (aka SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps or SuperSpeed+)? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. USB has rebranded and restructured how it differentiates between the two, leaving many scratching their heads as to which is which. Have no fear though, we’ve got it all figured out and are here to clear it up for you.

If you were impressed by the super speeds brought to you courtesy of USB 3.1, then you’re going to be over the moon for USB 3.1 Gen 2. This iteration of USB technology bolsters speeds and delivers additional benefits sure to please all users. As its name suggests, SuperSpeed+ USB increases the data transfer rate from 5 Gbps to 10 Gbps, making it twice as fast as USB 3.1 Gen 1 and on par with first generation Thunderbolt technology. USB 3.1 Gen 2 also uses more efficient data encoding, which not only increases throughput, but also improves I/O power efficiency.

Though the maximum cable length is shortened from 5 meters to 1 meter, USB 3.1 Gen 2 maintains the capability of data plus power over one cable and it can support multiple cameras and the USB3 Vision standard. Plus, USB 3.1 Gen 2 increases the power delivery level from 4.5 Watts to an astounding 100 Watts. This standard will also support USB Type-C, USB DisplayPort over Type-C and USB Power Delivery.

USB 3.1 Gen 2 is fully backward compatible with existing USB 3.0 software and devices, 5 Gbps hubs and devices as well as USB 2.0 products. In case there’s still some lingering confusion, here’s a handy chart to help compare these two side-by-side.

The path to 10 Gbps is now paved with copper! Cat6a cables, couplers and adapters can transmit at speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second! Ten times as fast as Cat6 and cheaper than fiber cabling, Cat6a is a high performance, cost-effective solution for moving large volumes of voice, video and data traffic over a network.

Until recently, fiber connectivity was the only way to achieve 10 Gbps transmission rates. Now you have options with Cat6a reaching 10 Gigabit Ethernet speeds at frequencies of up to 500 MHz over low cost copper cable. Cat6a's accelerated performance is perfect for use in data centers and storage area networks (SAN) that need to move sometimes terabits of data.

In addition to being fast, Cat6a boasts additional superior capabilities including longer distances (up to 100 meters for 10GBASE-T), easier migration and less crosstalk than Cat6. Plus, Cat6a cables are backward-compatible with existing network interface cards and connectors, making for an easier migration path. Also Cat6a cables are shielded, enhancing overall performance and making them more resistant to noise, interference and alien crosstalk.